Brake mechanism



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2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. R.' BUCKENDALE BRAKE MEGHANISM Filed. April 30, 1941 Oct. 12, 1943.

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l.. R. BUcKr-:NDALE BRAKE MECHANI SM sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 3o, 1941 Lawrence Buc/fenaa Ze Patented Oct. 12, 1943 T OFFICE BRAKE MECHANISM Lawrence R. Buckendale, Detroit,

Mich., assigner to The Timken-Detroit Axle Company, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Ohio Application April 30, 1941, Serial No. 391,183

(Cl. 18S-205) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in brake actuating mechanism. In particular, my invention relates to the assembly of a brake actuating camshaft in alignment with its bearings.

Vehicle brake mechanisms of the internal type include a plurality of brake'shoeskwhich are expanded within a brakedrum attached to a wheel. In the type of actuating mechanism to which my invention is particularly adaptable, the shoes are expanded by a cam, mounted on a shaft which is supported by bearings carried by the backing plate and by a spaced support xed to an unsprung part of the vehicle. The camshaft generally extends between the backing plate and the spaced support in a direction substantially parallel to the axle or'axle housing to which the backing plate is Xed.

In mechanisms of this type, the spaced support may be welded or bolted to the axle or housing itself. In either case, however, the camshaft bearings in the backing plate and in the support must be in exact alignment to prevent binding of the camshaft therein when completely assembled, and in the constructions ofthe prior art it has been found that after the bracket has been welded or bolted in place,y unless extreme care is taken, it is often found that the bearingin the bracket does not exactly align with the bearing in Vthe backing plate. This causes the shaft to bind in its bearings. When the parts are welded in place, for maximum strength, the diiculties of securing proper bearing alignment are increased. During the manufacture of the backing plate and the support, they may be stamped or otherwise formed, and usually have the necessary holes, etc., bored in them before they are Welded to the axle or housing. While the customary jigs r other devices may be used to hold them in position during welding, it is extremely difficult to hold them in the exact desired position so lthat when Welded in place they will be properly aligned for the attachment of other parts. It is also necessary to accurately machine the parts. Such proper alignment is particularly necessary'in the case of the spaced'bearings for the camshaft'.

I have found that by providing a clamping means for adjustably clamping the be'aringmember carried by the support, and permitting rocking of the bearing through' a suicient range to compensate for any misalignment during assembly, the great amount of care involved in properly aligning the parts during welding or otherwise fastening the parts is considerably reduced, since small mislocations of rected by properly clamping the bearing after asthe support can be cor' sembly. After assembly, the bearing, which has been properly located inthe support to eliminate any binding of the cam shaftis`clamped against further movement, and thereafter under operating conditions both camshaft bearings are thus held in xed position.

While devices have been heretofore proposed which allow free movement of the camshaft during operation to compensate for lining wear, this introduces an objectionable looseness in the assembly. These objections are not present invan assembly embodying my invention, because after being tightened there is no relative movement of theA camshaft bearings in their supports.

It is accordingly'a major object of my invention to provide a device facilitating the assembly of a brake mechanism, so that the bearings for the brake operating camshaft can be aligned to eliminate binding of the shaft therein. lif

Another object isto provide means whereby a bearing for a brake operating camshaft may be adjusted into proper position during assemblyto eliminate binding of the camshaft and then be rigidly maintained in that position throughout the life of the brake.

Another object is to provide a .vehicle brake assembly including an operating camshaft having one end supported in a backing plate andthe other end in a bearing adjustably positionedgin a bracket fixed to the axle or housing.

Another object resides in the provision of a novel vehicle brake assembly including a bracket secured to the axle or housing and having actuating mechanism .for a camshaft carried by an adjustable bearing` clamped to a retaining devicek secured to the bracket.

It is another object to provide a brake operating assembly including a novel camshaft bearing supporting means and a novel bracket assembly, pro--` viding a rigid support for the shaft and yet which permits lassembly of the parts without binding, even when they are misaligned during manufacture.

Further objects will become apparent as the specification proceeds in conjunction with the annexed drawings, and from the appended claims.

In the drawings: i

Figure 1 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of a braking vapparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, taken along the line 2 2 of Figure 1,.l0oking in thel direction of the arrows.. s Figure 3 is aperspective view of the. bracket shown in Figures 1 and 2 as it appears prior ,tor

being affixed to the axle. Y

Figure 4 is an elevation of one of the members used to clamp the camshaft bearing to the supporting bracket.

In Figure 1 my invention is shown as being applied to a, vehicular trailer axle assembly including a hollow axle II. It is to be understood that the axle II may be hollow as shown or of a solid shape on which a non-driving Wheel is rotatably mounted, vor `it can instead be a hollow axle housing, as in the case of a driving wheel.

Adjacent one end, the axle is provided witha flange I2 to which is attached a backing plate I3 which may be riveted to the flange as shown, or otherwise fastened thereto. The backing plate has formed thereon a boss I4 forfthe. reception of a camshaft bearing I5, which is preferably of the needle type, embodying a combined outer race and needle retainer I5a, but it maybe a plain bushing if desired. A pair of combined lubricant sealing and bearing retaining assemblies' I6 yand I1, seated against cooperating -shoulders in lthe boss .I'4, :hold the needle bearing yin place. Lubrication may be provided through a nipple received inia threaded opening I8 in the boss.

A camshaft I3 is rotatably 'supported by the bearing 'I 5 and hasa camZI ilxed on its endiportion.

.A brake shoe 22 having a lining 23 attached thereto, -is operated by the foam 2l and .pressed against the inner surface -24 of a brake drum, shown at 25, in well known manner. Each brake shoe may be .pivotally supported on an anchor pin, not shown, for lmovement under control ot .the cam -ZI and the usual retracting spring, not shown.

As will be understood, the lbrake drum T25 is suitably attached toa hub or other device rotatably mountedon `the axle-or housing I I in well known manner. A dish shaped member -26 is attached `to .the backing :plate I3 by suitable means 'and together with a .peripheral flanged member .21., attached by screws 28, excludes dirt and moisture yfrom `the 'enclosed brake shoes and linings.

Sui'tably .affixed .to .the axle .II is a saddle 29 Iorth'e `attachment of the vehicle spring, not

shown.

The novel -bracketfassembly `and bearing mount of the invention will now be described. At apoint remote ifrom the brake housing hend of the -axle I I vasupporting.bracket 3I of special form .is 'welded :to the axle. Asshown in lFigure 3, `the bracket is lof U-shape, having longand short llegs 32and `33, and aconnecting portion 34. The long leg is provided with recesses35 and 36. -A plurality Aof tapped bolt holes 31 are located adjacent the periphery of recess 436 for a purpose to befdescribed. The short leg 33 is also provided with a recess 38 in alignment with the recess 35. Recesses 35 and 38 are shaped to contact the periphery of the axle II at the point where the bracket is attached thereto and preferably have radii of curvature equal to that of the axle.

The `bracket 3| iswelded to the axle in position so that, when assembled, the two camshaft bearings Will be in substantial alignment. -By providing two vlegs and welding them in this manner yat the recesses .35 and 38, it is -much more rigid and more securely attached to the axle, and is more resistant -to breakage than -if the short leg 33 were omitted. -In order to compensate or rnisalignmerlt due to inaccurate Welding, or to manufacturing.inaccuracies.in the I The two .similar .retainers are stamped or machined parts of the assembly, the second camshaft bearing is adjustably attached to the bracket by the novel assembly to be now described.

Two similar retainers 39 and 4I, one of which is shown in elevation in Figure 4, are attached to the long leg, at the recess 35. Each retainer is stamped or otherwise .formed to have a planar circumferential flange 42, and a central flange 43 having a spherical interior surface as shown in Figure l. Three holes 44 in the flange 42 are so located as to cooperate with the holes 3l in 'the bracket. Each retainer also has two other holes 45 through which bolts 46 are passed to clamp the upper halves of the retainers together. placed opposed to each other so that the two flanges 43 form a spherical seat as shown in Figure l.

Located within the seat formed by flanges 43 is a sleeve-like camshaft bearing member 41 havin'g an .exterior sphecicalportion f4.8 and `an elongated portion 4.8. The bearing member 41 is preferably .similar to :bearing :mount I5, containing a'series 'of moodle 'beanin'gs BFI and azcombined .raceland .retainer Md., ibut itis .to be :understood that if rdesired'zit may be .a :plain :bushing having a sphericalexter'ior portion I'48. A pair of rcombined lubricant and bearing retainers 25B* and SIIb are .provided :in the ends .of :member 4:1.

' Three studs 52 lare fthreadedfin the holes 31 fin the long leg 'o the bracket and pass .through the matched holes 44 :of lthe :retainer members.

lA rigid :elongated washer or plate f50 having openings aligned with the .studs .52 is slipped over the .studs Aon'ltop lof zthe retainer :39. The radiizof curvature fof 'surface '48 aand `the `spherical inner surfaces of members "39 :and 41| are such that, when nuts 'L53 `are turnedup tightly on the studs A52, the retainers will tightly 'grip `member 41 and .lock :it against rocking for :rotational movement. ilig'htening niIts'53 also clamps the retainersir'rgidly against thebra'cket. .The washer 5B `evenly :distributes the :pressure of the nuts 53 over `the area .of ithe retainers lying .between the :studs '.lhe fbolts 4i :are also provided vwith nuts to Vfasten 4Sthe :retainers together.

The camshaft Aextentie through the bearings I5 and 4f! withfthe camsZ-LI zprojectlngeintolthe brake housing "and -with Tits fother end projecting -into the space between ithe llegs T32 and 33 of ithe bracket.

-Acamshaftactualting 'lever arm 64 .is clamped on `the portionof -the "camshaft IB in the space between the bracket =legs by a rclamping pin -or bolt having va "fhead 53. Lock nuts, -not Lshown, aretightened on'the -bc'ltb'to 'clamp the flever'on the camshaft. 'fBy loosening the "lock nuts and turning'the boltthe-lever may beshiftedaroimd the camshaft to provide a slack 'adjustment in well known manner; 'Detallsfoftheconstructlon by which 'this'i's accomplished are shownin -Patent No. 1,827,946, issued to Mathew B. Morgan on October A20, 1931.

The camshaft maybe vactuatedin 'any suitable manner,'but1'preferablyemploy a'fiuid pressure actuated .device `carried by the portion .o'f the bracket remote "from 'the camshaft ends. .It'comprises .alhous'ing 56 attached to 'the rportion 34 o'f thebraket'by meansofstudspassing through the ,bracket andlhaving nuts S'I'turne'd upthereon as shown 'in Figure .2. The'housing contains:a movable .pressure actuated diaphragm or piston actuating `the camS'ha'ftVand .may be .actuatedlby airor .hydraulic Ypressure .orby vacuum. 'A'link 58 connects the movable diaphragm with the lever 54 by'means of the clevis pin 59.

In operation, the vehicle operator controls the pressure in housing 56 to actuate thediaphragm and rotate the'camshaft I9r through the link 58 and lever 54. The cam 2| on the camshaft `expands the pivoted brake shoes and lining against the inside of the drum 25 as will be apparent. The assembly of the' mechanism on the axle or housing is greatly facilitated by means of my invention, the assembly operations preferably being carried out 4as follows: After the bracket 3l is Welded in place, the entire camshaft assembly, including the bearing 41 and the retainers 39 yand. 4|, may be slipped into place with the spherical flange of retainer 4l projecting into the recess 35 of the bracket and with the holes 44 in the retainers sliding over the studs 52. rIfhe two bolts 46 hold the retainers in mating relationship and also looselymaintain bearing member 41 in place during this operation. Washer 50 and nuts 53 are then placed on the studs and tightened only slightly, so as .to allow movement of the bearing 41 in the spherical seat. The bearing 41 is now centered, the slack adjuster, levers and diaphragm installed, and the bearing or bushing is adjusted to avoid any distortion or binding between the camshaft and bearing which is then clamped firmly in place by turning up the nuts 53 on the studs 52. 'I'he nuts on the bolts 46 arealso turned up securely if they have been left loose during the assembly operation,

lso that the retainer members are securely fastened together around their entire periphery.

When members 39 and 4l have been tightly clamped together, as just described, they preferably tightly grip spherical surface 48 of member 41, so that the bearing member is rigidly gripped in its seat, and no sliding, with attendant wear, can occur. Lever 54 may now be slipped over the end of the camshaft, and the housing 56 placed on the bracket and connected to the lever by the link 58. Final positioning of the lever 54 on the camshaft by means of the slack adjustment is not `completed until the brake shoes, drums, etc., are assembled in place. Since members 39 and 4l are located wholly exterior to member 41 and do not overlap the ends, there is no possibility of them contacting the shaft even under conditions of extreme misalignment. The invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired United States Letters Patent is:

l. In a wheel brake mechanism, an axle structure; a bracket attached to said structure; a

to be secured by brake operating camshaft; a bearing rotatably engaging an end portion of said camshaft; means adjustably positioning said bearing in said bracket for free swiveled movement in any direction during assembly and operable to xedly hold the bearing against movement when assembled, whereby the camshaft and bearing are held in alignment, and camshaft actuating means mounted on said bracket and connected to said camshaft.

2. vehicle brake mechanism comprising an axle structure; a brake shoe carried by a backing plate secured to said structure; a `bracket having legs connected by a mid-portion, and attached by its legs vto said structure; a pair of opposed bearing element retainer members yattached to said bracket and having complementary elements formingA a recess; a bearing element seated in said recess; means clamping said bearing element against movement in ,said recess; and a rigid brake operating camshaft having one 4end portion rotatably carried by said bearing element and the other end portion operably connected to said Vbrake shoe. l 3. A vehicle brake mechanism comprising` an axle structure; a brake` shoe carried by a backing plate secured to said housing; a bracket having legs of unequal length connected by a midportion, the bracket being attached to the structure at free end of the shorter leg and a central portion `of the longer leg; a pair of opposed bearing retainer members attached to the end of the longer leg and havingcomplementary elements forming a recess; a camshaft bearing member adjustably seated in said recess; means operating to xedly clamp said bearing member in said recess and a rigid brake camshaft having an end portion rotatably carried by said bearing member and the other end portion operably connected to said brake shoe.

4. A vehicle brake mechanism comprising an axle structure; a bracket attached to said structure and having a substantially planar portion terminating in a recess bordering a plurality of openings in said planar portion; a first substantially planar retainer member provided with a circumferential series of openings, some of which are aligned with the openings in the bracket, and with a central opening bounded by a flange forming a partial spherical socket, the flange projecting into the recessin said bracket; a second retainer member similar to said rSt retainer member but opposed thereto, whereby the central openings and flanges form a spherical socket; a shaft bearing member having a spherical outer shape seated in said spherical socket; means passing through the aligned openings in the bracket and retainer members for clamping said bearing member against movement; a shaft supported by said bearing member, said shaft being provided with a brake actuating cam at the end remote from said bearing, and with'a lever on the end adjacent said bearing for rotating the shaft.

' 5; A vehicle brake mechanism comprising an axle structure; a bracket having legs of unequal length connected by a mid-portion, the bracket having the free end of its shorter leg and the central portion of the longer leg attached to said structure, the longer leg having a substantially planar portion terminating in a recess bordering a plurality of openings in said planar portion; a rst substantially planar retainer member provided with a circumferential series of openings, some of which are aligned with the openings in the bracket, and With a central opening bounded by a flange forming a partial spherical socket, the flange projecting into the recess in said bracket; a second retainer member similar to said first retainer member but opposed thereto whereby the central openings and flanges form a spherical socket; a shaft bearing member having a spherical outer shape seated in said spherical socket; means passing through the aligned openings in the bracket and retainer members for clamping said bearing member against movement.; ashatt rotatably supported by saidbearing member, said shaft being provided wim a brake actuating cam at the end remote from said bearing and with a lever on the end adjacent said hearingl member, .said lever lying substantially in the Aplane of the mid-portion of -said bracket; a pressure operated actuating means and hounng mounted on said mid-portion; and a link connecting said means and lever whereby movement of said 'actuating means rotates said shaft.

6. In a vehicle brake mechanism, a bracket having a recess in an edge portion; a rst retainer member having a spherical flange projecting into said recess; a second retainer member having a spherical ange opposed to the ange ofthe first member; a plurality of studs projecting from said bracket and through a portion of said retainer members; bolts passing through an `opposite portion of said retainer members; a bearing member seated within said spherical anges; and nuts on said studs and bolts operable to clamp said bearing member be tween said spherical flanges.

"7. In a vehicle brake mechanism, a U-shaped bracket having a long and a short leg and a ccn- ,necting portion, the legs being provided with aligned recesses to receive an axle; camshaft supporting means on the free end of said long leg and camshaft actuating means on said connect-y 8. In a vehicular Wheel brake mechanism, operating mechanism therefor comprising a bradt, means to attach said bracket to :an unsprxmg portion of the vehicle, a lubricated bearing for rotatably supporting a lbrake actuating camshaft, means forming an external spherical surface on said bearing, a pair of complementai cup-like elements providing an internal spherical surface operable to clamp said bearing to .said bracket, a camshaft journalled at one portion in said bearing, bearing means supporting a spaced portion of said camshaft, camshaft actuating means connected to said camshaft, and means supporting said actuating means from said bracket.

LAWRENCE R. BUCKENDALE. 

